Dan Rather Calls '60 Minutes' Settlement A 'Sell-Out To Extortion By The President'
'It's a sad day for journalism,' Rather told Variety in an interview published Wednesday. 'It's a sad day for '60 Minutes' and CBS News.'
'I hope people will read the details of this and understand what it was,' he continued. 'It was distortion by the president and a kneeling down and saying, 'yes, sir,' by billionaire corporate owners.'
Trump sued CBS last fall over what he claimed was a deceptively edited '60 Minutes' interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, his opponent in the 2024 election, and accused the network of 'partisan and unlawful acts of voter interference.'
Despite high-profile resignations at CBS and public concern, including from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), that the company would cave to Trump's lawsuit, Paramount Global agreed earlier this week to pay Trump $16 million. The settlement funds are to be allocated to a future presidential library and will not be paid personally to Trump.
Rather, a veteran broadcast journalist who anchored CBS News for 24 years and served as a '60 Minutes' correspondent for much of his career, suggested Wednesday that the wealthy owners of CBS's parent company lacked principles.
'Paramount didn't have to settle,' he argued. 'You settle a lawsuit when you've done something wrong. '60 Minutes' did nothing wrong. It followed accepted journalistic practices. Lawyers almost unanimously said the case wouldn't stand up in court.'
The deal came at a precarious time for Paramount Global, however, as the company is currently eyeing an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. The merger requires approval from the Trump administration's Federal Communications Commission.
'I was disappointed, but I wasn't surprised,' Rather said Wednesday. 'Big billionaire businesspeople make decisions about money. We could always hope that they will make an exception when it comes to freedom of the press, but it wasn't to be.'
Rather shared that, in his 60 years as a journalist, he has never seen the profession face the political threats it is navigating today. He noted that even 'big time' law firms and universities are settling with Trump — and 'kneeling the same way' as Paramount Global.
Rather added that Trump 'knew' the company would fold if he kept applying pressure.
'Trump is now forcing a whole news organization to pay millions of dollars for doing something protected by the Constitution — which is, of course, free and independent reporting,' he told Variety. 'Now, you take today's sell-out.'
He concluded, 'And that's what it was: It was a sell-out to extortion by the president.'
Bernie Sanders Rips 'Extremely Dangerous' Paramount-Trump Settlement: 'Government Extortion'
Paramount Agrees To Pay Trump $16 Million In Outrageous Settlement
Fox News Pundit Asks Most Sycophantic Question About Trump. It Does Not Go Well.
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